I am one PROUD Mama!!!!

Well folks, it is official....my AMAZING son, Brandon....

received the Congressional Nomination for The Air Force Academy....

AND West Point!!!

That's not it....he was also awarded a $12,900.00 scholarship (per year) from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona.....

They called him to let him know that the Scholarship he was awarded was their highest Scholarship available ;)

Brandon has also applied to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology - MIT....

We haven't heard anything from MIT yet.  He had his interview with the MIT representative last weekend.  He did get his scores back from the Math II and Physics SATs that he was required to take as an applicant to MIT....he received a 750/800 on the Math II portion and a perfect score of 800/800 on the Physics portion.  :)  I will keep you posted about MIT.

I am one proud Mama no matter where my boy decides to go....

and he has one tough decision to make....

Congratulations Brandon!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!!!!

There are some very excited kids in this house this morning...

A cupcake:  $1.50.  A helium balloon:  $2.00.  A vintage pilot cap:  $25.00.  

A white unicorn:  $500,000.00.  This video:  $Priceless.00

Santa Claus is comin' to town....

Jason and Reagan took a trip to see Santa this past weekend.

Ell was a little apprehensive to go see Santa...until he brought out the candy canes ;)

We also got to see Prancer the reindeer, and Hamilton and Wellington the Alpacas....I bet you didn't know that Santa raises Alpacas for their fur...

Happy 18th Birthday Brandon!!!

My eldest son turned 18 this past Wednesday, December 5th.  We took a short trip to Washington DC for his birthday....

We had the chance to visit with old friends....Shannon took most of the pictures, so when she emails them to me I will post them....until then, I have a couple....

Sue, me, Jen, and Shannon...Shannon and Jen are both expecting babies in April and May...

My 3 little ones with Shannon's daughter Payton - she looks just like Shannon....

We also visited the Air Force Memorial....

....as well as the Air and Space Museum....

...we also visited the Natural History Museum...

Reagan was so excited to see the prehistoric turtle that he dressed up like for halloween ;)

We had a great trip and are now busily getting ready for the next birthday...only 15 days till Jesus' birthday....December is a great month!!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve....

*I hate blogger....at some point I will seek out a new blog avenue...for now....I deleted pics...I hesitated to do this before because they tell you when you delete the pictures from Picasa that it will delete it from your blog as well as from your computer's hard drive....interesting.....fortunately for me we have all photos backed up and a new computer sooo "hahaha Picasa...take that!"*

Happy Thanksgiving Eve....

Wow I was going to post a really cute pic of Reagan and Daddy for this post but blogger is telling me I can't unless I upgrade...they say I have no more room for pics....how is it that this happens to me....Patti, Chris, anyone?  Sorry....Have a great thanksgiving anyway....

Per Governor Chris Christie....

Halloween has been postponed until Monday, November 5, 2012....
So...stay tuned for our trick or treat pictures.  Here is a little taste of what you might see....
Reagan...the prehistoric turtle...with homemade turtle shell....

Jason...as Zorro....

 Elli...as Scooby doo (or maybe I should say Scrappy doo as her cousin Caleb was Scooby too ;))

Today was Jason and Reagan's Halloween Party at school.  We watched them parade around the school with all the other kids....

Come back on Tuesday and see our trick or treat pics....

Partay!!!

 The annual Costume/Birthday party was a hit again this year.  We all love dressing up!!

Jay and Ray were cowboys....

 Brandon was Shaggy and Elli was Scooby Doo....

 Zoinks!!

 I was Rosie the Riveter....

Joshua was a Vietnam Vet....

and Trevor was the Avengers....all of them in one ;)

The cake was a HUGE success ;)  Our friend Ryan shares an October birthday...he had a run-in with a possum a couple of years back the continues to be one of my kids favorite stories to re-tell...so....Trevor wanted a possum cake to share with Ryan....

We let Ryan cut the cake....

The inside of this possum was red-velvet cake...it was yummy!!!  

Happy Birthday Trevor....you are truly a hero in heart and I love you so much!!  Now go bring in the lawn furniture before the hurricane hits....

Happy Birthday Captain America!!!

Trevor is 15 today....

He may be a teenager, but he is still a little kid at heart....

Can you tell that Trevor loves Captain America?  He got a USA soccer ball for his birthday ;)

Can you guess what Captain America had for breakfast?

Stay tuned for more pictures....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TREVIE...I LOVE YOU TONS!!

Father and Son Return...

High Point State Park....a 30 lb. pack on Chris, and a 40 lb. pack on Brandon, 23 miles and 1100 feet in 2 days...without coffee!!!  (Good thing they brought their muscle ;))

Lots of rocks and forest...

Lots of elevation and climbing (not a lot of trail)....

Lots of views....

High Point Monument....

Lots of memories!!!

Father and Son Weekend...

*********UPDATE********

Chris and Brandon camped out at High Point last night....

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Chris and Brandon headed out this morning...

 They were packed with everything they would need for a couple of nights out on the Appalachian Trail....

 Muscle is a good thing to pack....

Love my man and my boy!!